"As for Kale, it’s one of those things I was once persuaded, much against my good judgement, to eat. But honestly after one prickly mouthful found wasn’t worth the effort. I’d class it as one of those foods you only need to eat if there’s nothing else in the larder and every shop within a fifty mile radius has sold out and shut down for the next forty eight hours. Yes, it’s got minerals and vitamins, but so has a brick."

Fiona Taylor, defending, told the court Peacock had been distressed during the birth and after the vet refused to put the puppies down she felt the only solution was to take matters into her own hands to prevent the mum becoming emotionally attached to her pups.

Miss Taylor said her client had an excellent record of caring for and training dogs, which included her winning awards at the world’s largest dog show, Crufts.

She added: ‘My client accepts that her actions were not the right actions that day and she is sorry.’

Sure, she's sorry now. They all are.

She wasn't sorry when she was harassing the vet surgery with phone calls giving them a blow by blow account of what she was doing, was she?

Sentencing her to two concurrent 12 week jail terms, suspended for 12 months, magistrate Dr Susan Dadlani said her previous good record of keeping animals meant they would not be disqualifying her from continuing to do so, despite what she had done.

Dr Dadlani said: ‘Over a number of years you have had many animals that you have looked after well. We are not going to disqualify you from keeping animals in the future.’

Ummm, what? I'm sure Peter Sutcliffe met a lot of prostitutes he didn't bludgeon to death before his murder spree too!

Peacock, who now has to use crutches to walk due to having multiple sclerosis, wept as she was ordered to pay £750 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Thursday, 30 March 2017

Assistant fair manager Luke Thurston, 22, found himself in hot water when he sold his girlfriend Rosie's dog without her permission.

Mr Thurston attempted to get the Staffordshire Terrier back 24 hours after the sale - only to be accused of robbery after getting into a struggle with Bella's new owners in the living room of their home.

New owner Katrell Lovick received a cut to the arm and accused Mr Thurston of stabbing her.

But Mr Thurston insisted it was done by her own boyfriend as he struggle over the dog and Ms Lovick grabbed her back.

Wednesday, 29 March 2017

The accused appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court in April last year – under the name Gavin Brannen and dressed as a woman – after racking up a £27 taxi bill on a trip from Newcastle to South Shields before fleeing the vehicle.

The court heard on that occasion that he was going through gender reassignment and wanted to be known as Katie.

...the more they clearly stay the same:

The 22-year-old was back at the court yesterday, under the name of Katie Brannen, after dashing off at the end of another taxi ride from Sunderland to her home in Frederick Street, South Shields, without paying a £20 bill.

Seems to be a habit!

Laura Johnson, defending, said: “She didn’t have enough money for the taxi and has made a bad decision.”

Laureen Shaw, councillor for Roche North and Rural, asked whether members of the Rayleigh speedwatch group could pass on details of motorists using their mobile phones so police could send out a warning letter.

Tuesday, 28 March 2017

During the trial, the court heard the boy, now 15, had an alibi for the dates the girl initially gave to the police.

Phone records show he had called police following a row with his parents. He claimed his dad has assaulted him at the family home on Canvey - an accusation which was disputed by his mother as she gave evidence during the trial.

The teenager then stole his dad’s bank cards and used them to spend almost £600 on a trip to London - buying alcohol from a pub and a hotel room for him and a friend.

Alice Steadman was on her way to the job centre with her 19-month-old son Matthew when they saw a man inject himself in the arm in the communal stairway leading to their first floor flat in Dagenham on Tuesday afternoon.

And it was not the first time the mum of two had been disturbed by drug users outside her home in Stansgate Road, with her four-year-old daughter Holly-May having seen a man injecting himself too.

Well, maybe that Job Centre visit should have been priority number one before getting pregnant twice?

Then you wouldn't find yourself at the mercy of wherever Dagenham council ratepayers are prepared to fund you to live?

Confronting the addicts on one occasion, a concerned Alice and her partner Dennis Law, 40, warned them CCTV cameras were in the building, but they replied that they didn’t care.

Monday, 27 March 2017

The power of the conspiratorial right is creating a new world and to fight it you must understand it as well as expose it.

Yes, it's 'the right', despite their total lack of bleeding and dying victims lying in the streets of our capital.

...the alt-right is not saying that human rights are universal or they are nothing. It damns human rights, however they are applied. It doesn’t want a multiculturalism that does not use fake accusations of racism and Islamophobia as a cover for the abuse of religious power. It wants a white monoculture. It maintains that hundreds of millions of people with wildly variant beliefs can be lumped together as “the Muslims”.

Those 'wildly variant' beliefs that all seem to stem from the one 'holy' book, you mean?

The feminist fighting sharia councils is no different from the apologist for Iran.

The feminist he links to isn't, of course, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who the right have been protecting from liberals since she had to flee Holland. It's someone I've never heard of.

If all Muslims in the west are the same, what should happen to Muslim citizens in the west? Should there be a Muslim register, as Trump has suggested? Should they be deported? If converts to Islam can turn terrorist, should conversion to Islam be banned as conversion to Christianity is banned in Saudi Arabia? After men such as Farage stop blaming liberals, what are their plans for the immigrants who are now our fellow citizens?

Once, it would have been hysterical even to suggest such questions. Today, I wish our tame broadcasters would ask them.

Now you want the media to start 'asking questions'? Are you sure? You do realise you and your ilk don't get to set those questions?

Caspar Hobbs, chairman of England Boxing (EB), said in a statement: “The Junior Championships have been cancelled, by the police, not by England Boxing who spent the whole afternoon trying to convince them to let the championships go ahead.

“They disagreed. There was a specific threat to life made which caused the Police to enforce cancellation, despite us offering to double the security detail.

“It is disgraceful and disgusting that a few selfish and pathetic individuals can ruin the dreams of young boxers, and those who support them, for their own low and pathetic reasons - it is nothing short outrageous.

Police searched the premises and found Sam Chambers, 24, in the house he shared with Copperthwaite, 41, surrounded by drugs paraphernalia.

This included lottery slips for wrapping cocaine, scales, customer lists, mobile phones and 162 grams of bicarbonate of soda- a mixing agent.

The total amount of cocaine found was 13 grams.

Bang to rights!

Matthew Sorrell-Cameron, prosecuting, said the aggravating factor for all three was the fact Copperthwaite’s 16-year-old daughter also lived at the address.

He said: “She allowed these two men to use her premises as a base for drug dealing, whether to store the drugs, prepare the drugs or sell the drugs.”

Mother of the year, clearly.

Copperthwaite was found guilty of being concerned in the supply of a class drug.

She also admitted answering bail with an offensive weapon in July last year - namely a snooker ball in a sock.

/facepalm

Judge Samantha Leigh jailed Chambers for three years and nine months and Flynn for four years. She handed Copperthwaite a 24 month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months. She must complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

Councillor Shawcross said that companies should consider banning workers from ordering goods direct to work, and instead promote click-and-collect facilities at transport hubs “so that people can collect their deliveries on the way home”.

I remember when Internet shopping would save us all. The desire to meddle with our lives never leaves these people, does it?

Wednesday, 22 March 2017

Angela Smith, a teacher at the Federation of Greenways Schools, formerly Thorpe Greenways Infant School, in Southchurch, Southend, told bosses her husband had numerous problems- including suggesting that medical staff were considering switching off his life support machine.

They were, as you'd expect, sympathetic:

Compassionate managers reduced her working hours from 8.30am to 4.30pm to 9.30am to 2.30pm, with an agreement that she could leave school during the day if needed.

But not, unfortunately, very suspicious.

In March 2015, Mrs Smith said her husband had returned to work, but he had been suspended after getting into a fight with another member of staff.

That's a great recovery, I have to say!

Due to the nature of these statements and the potential outcome, the school informed the school her husband worked at.

They only checked this out because of the allegation, mind....

Contact was then made with the local authority to share the information.
It then became apparent that Mrs Smith’s husband was in good health and was working without any problems.

Ooops!

She resigned on May 31 and admitted all the allegations.
The panel found that although Mrs Smith was “dishonest” and guilty of “unacceptable professional conduct” further punishment was not necessary.

*rolls eyes*

It said: “The panel was reassured to hear and see evidence that Mrs Smith has taken active steps to remedy some of the health issues that she was facing.

“These are continuing and seem to be improving her condition.”

Improving it so she can find other employment?

The report then added Mrs Smith has since returned to a teaching role.

Tuesday, 21 March 2017

A group of residents living at Dashwood Court in Hounslow invited their local Safer Neighbourhoods Team, Police Community Support Officers PC Danny Duprey and PC Seni Gulati for a coffee and chat about some of their concerns about anti-social behaviour and petty crime in the local park and nearby roads.

The policing team listened to our tenants’ concerns and assured them that they would be increasing their patrols in the local vicinity especially as they now know what to look out for. PC Gulati said, ‘The more evidence of crime that is reported by the community, the better will be the outcome of policing efforts to help keep everyone safe.’

Sterling effort, I think you'll agree. Obviously a credit to the force, and a welcome advertisement for greater diversity in the ranks...

PC Seni Gulati, who was based in Hounslow borough, called for an ambulance after his fiancée had injured herself at a golf venue in Surrey in July last year.
He was verbally abusive and used “racially motivated language” towards the call operator and staff at the venue who had assisted his injured wife, a police misconduct hearing heard.

His conviction was considered a breach of Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of Discreditable Conduct and of Authority, Respect and Courtesy.
The racially motivated language used in the 999 call on July 3 was considered to be a breach in respect of Equality and Diversity.

The hearing held, in public, on Friday, March 10 found the alleged breaches proven and PC Guliti was dismissed without notice.

Monday, 20 March 2017

The aerial and ground shots obtained by the Echo show a large section of a two-acre field in Hovefields, Wickford, has already been covered in asphalt.

Other parts of the field appear to have been dug up while huge piles of dry asphalt lie in wait ready to be laid down.

Our exclusive photos also show long fences have been installed - potentially to allow a number of pitches to be claimed by traveller families.

Yes, it's 'Dale Farm 2: The Return'...

The work is in clear breach of a High Court injunction obtained by Basildon Council last October after the authority spent millions evicting illegal settlers from the land and nearby Dale Farm in Crays Hill.

Residents fear dozens of families will soon move onto the site.

What, breaching a High Court injunction?! Why, it's almost as if they have no regard for the law of the land, or something...

Brooke Kinsella, the Eastenders actress who founded the Ben Kinsella Trust after her 16-year-old brother was stabbed to death in Islington in 2008, was commissioned by David Cameron to write a report on knife crime in 2011.

She found that prevention groups were finding it “extremely difficult” to get into schools to get their message across.

However Mr Green added: “There are still schools who are failing to engage with organisations who can help their pupils understand the risks associated with carrying knives.”

Southend Council has been criticised for its plans to spend £35,000 on park gates.
The money will go towards refurbishing the Priory Park gates, as part of the council’s 125th birthday celebrations of the borough.

Oh, those savage, biting council cuts..!

One gate requires fixing and the lion statues that originally sat atop each gatepost which disappeared in the late 20th Century will also be replaced.

Disappeared, eh? Maybe don't make them from valuable metal this time...

Ann Holland, councillor responsible for culture, tourism and the economy, said: “As well as celebrating 125 years of Southend, it is also 100 years for Priory Park. I really don’t think it is too much to spend, the celebrations will be a real feelgood factor for the town.

They will...?

“When we had celebrations for 100 years of the borough a lot of money went into it and it was remembered by all who were involved. It’s really a worthwhile cause.

Ah. You mean 'We councillors had a great time, the canapes were lovely!'...

“The estimated cost of the work is up to £35,000 but we will be getting quotes to make sure we get best value. We are also actively seeking sponsorship for the 125 celebrations.”

What a wonderful opportunity for an entrepreneur, I'm sure you'll agree?

A young mother has described her shock after being punched in the face when she confronted a group teenagers who were tormenting a seal.

Sarah Tough was left with blood pouring down her face when she was hit in the nose by the ringleader of the youths who were worrying the animal as it tried to head to the sea at Crimdon beach, in east Durham, on Monday.

Wednesday, 15 March 2017

Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP referred the three to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme to ask for their sentences to be reviewed in order to ensure they reflected the seriousness of their conduct.

Three men, two women. Someone hadn't read the 'Guardian' that morning, clearly:

Following the referral to the Court of Appeal, two of the offenders have had their sentences increased.

Mills, 52, had her eight year sentence increased to ten years in prison.

Lawrence, 22, who was originally sentenced to four years in prison, will now serve seven.

Tuesday, 14 March 2017

New video footage has emerged of Ferguson teenager Michael Brown, which appears to question the claim by police that he had robbed a convenience store shortly before he was shot dead by a white officer.

Oh oh! This could be explosive!

Filmmaker Jason Pollock, who obtained the footage, claims that it shows that the 18-year-old’s altercation with store employees in a later visit to the shop, was tied to a suspected drug transaction with staff in the store.

...

...

Wait, what?

“There was an understanding, and that’s what you are going to see in that video,” the teenager’s mother, Lezley McSpadden says in a new documentary by Mr Pollock. “There was some type of exchange for one thing, for another.”

“The stolen vehicle was spotted by patrolling officers and a pursuit began.

“The officers remained in contact with the vehicle until it suddenly stopped in Bancroft Road, Burnley, and the two occupants quickly de-camped and fled on foot.

“The shift inspector had reacted to the pursuit and was there when the vehicle was abandoned.

“Wanting to show his officers how it is done, the inspector ran after the thieves but unfortunately ran past the back of the police dog van just as the dog was being released and he received a nip from one of them.”

Bad dog!

The inspector, who has not been named, did not suffer serious injuries.
Mr Ford added: “It was a painful lesson for him and a source of amusement for his staff."

Monday, 13 March 2017

Wait, I thought women couldn't...? I thought because they didn't have..?

Nor was I the only person baffled! But all is now revealed:

Brannen was born male – but we readers weren’t allowed to know that.
It’s not that this detail wasn’t important (and as I will argue, m’Lud, it’s crucial) or forgotten. It was omitted in the moral panic around both privacy and ‘misgendering’, the progressive cause de nos jours.

To call someone by the wrong title is considered verbal assault and even bigotry.

The court heard Thompson was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 1999 and suffered deteriorating health problems, including with his eyes and feet.
Mr Bagnall said he was prescribed medication “at various stages” but repeatedly failed to take it or attend appointments.

He also failed to tell bosses about his health problems on annual self-declaration forms.

The friend who survived the crash — who was knocked unconscious temporarily and suffered a broken elbow — was said to have been particularly infuriated with the driver, who had moved from the witness box to avoid blocking the view of the TV screen.

Police in court broke up the fight and extra officers and an ambulance were called. The Met said a man was arrested on suspicion of GBH and affray.

And he'll no doubt be let off.

Police had previously decided not to prosecute the driver for Mr Ebrahim’s death.
According to the observer, this added to the tensions in the court. It is thought that Mr Ebrahim’s friends did not know the driver and car passengers would be there to give evidence.

Wait, what?

Are they completely clueless as to the point of an inquest? Does this maybe need to be added to the citizenship test?

The observer said: “There was extreme provocation — seeing the crash yourself for the first time, your friend being killed and sitting next to this guy who was driving. As the case was progressing, I thought it would turn out badly.”

“As a mother, no words can describe how I feel being stuck in this prison as my kids need me more than ever," she said.

"Why are they punishing my family for something minor I did as a troubled kid? They are tearing families apart.”

Technically, aren't you the one punishing your family? After all, it was you that decided to embark on a life of crime in someone else's country...

Sophia’s indefinite leave to remain was revoked after she was entangled in a fraud case, which she says she knew nothing about and was tricked and manipulated into by her then partner.

She was initially sentenced to 21 months in prison because she already had a criminal record, having been convicted of several small shoplifting offences more than 10 years ago, when she was trying to support her three children as a single parent living below the poverty line.

Gosh, she sounds like a real asset to the country, doesn't she?

The Home Office has said Sophia can appeal to reverse their decision from outside the country under the recently expanded the "deport first appeal later" rule.

Friday, 10 March 2017

York Stand up to Racism will be taking a 59 seater coach to the capital on Saturday, March 18 March to join the National March Against Racism organised by Stand up to Racism.

They will join campaigners in saying EU workers are welcome and should not be used as a bargaining chip, and refugees and migrants are welcome and contribute much to the economy; and in rejecting anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and racism in all its forms.

I'm sure York will be happy to see the back of them. It must be a welcome relief, even if just for one day.

“All the evidence points to her being still alive when she was dumped, and in the process of giving birth, but although I got there as soon as I could after we were called - she was already dead.

“We think she was probably abandoned in this sensitive state overnight the night before, perhaps to avoid getting expensive veterinary treatment.

“The poor mare would have been alone, in pain, and frightened by the traffic passing on the road, so close to her face.

“We don’t know if it was complications with her pregnancy which killed her, but it is desperately sad that she was left without any veterinary care in such an exposed spot and when she was at her most vulnerable.

“We urge anyone with any information about this incident to call us, in strictest confidence, on 0300 123 8018.”

Yes, it's a mystery, isn't it? Almost as big a mystery as the mystery of how your hopeless organisation continues to receive donations from gullible idiots who believe your claims.

A National College for Teaching and Leadership panel heard senior staff checked her emails after concerns and found several inappropriate messages sent to her partner, including links to the Ann Summers website.

Samantha Morgan, 48, from Hove, and her two children are currently living in temporary accommodation but have been told by the council that they are not able to find them a permanent place of residence.

They are currently staying at The Wardley Hotel in Hove and their rent is being paid for by social services.

No it isn't. We, the taxpayer, are paying.

Ms Morgan said: “I am on benefits so I had no way of getting a private house and the only reason I went private at first is because I had to leave London."

“I then ended up with rent arrears from the private accommodation that I knew nothing about until an estate agent came to see me at the property, ending up with me being given an eviction notice.

You 'knew nothing about it', eh?

“This is what made me and my family homeless and I then took myself and my children to the Brighton and Hove City Council for help as I have no family or friends I can live with.

“They then put us all in temporary accommodation in Hove, saying it could take up to 18 months to re-house us and we have been here now for five months for them to tell me they cannot help or house me and my family because I made myself intentionally homeless.”

That cheer you hear is the long-suffering taxpayer...

Ms Morgan said she was told by the council to contact social services because her 16-year-old daughter, Brooke is still a dependent and also on a college course that has two years left before completion.

Her daughter was told by social services that she may now have to either go into foster care or live in a youth hostel called The Foyer.

Ms Morgan said: “It is completely wrong to make a child go and live on her own when she has a loving mother and a brother to help her grow and nourish her, which they are taking away.

“My 19-year-old son Callum and I will be on the streets because they will not pay for us to stay in temporary accommodation.”

An Australian school has adopted a policy allowing male Muslim students to refuse to shake hands with women.

Well, that's helping them contribute to society. But wait! It's not the school's fault!

A spokesman told the newspaper: “The Department of Education require­s its schools to recognise and respect the cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds of all students, with the intent to promote an open and tolerant attitude towards a diverse Australian community."

You idiot! This is not doing that, is it? Even a top Muslim cleric thinks you've gone too far!

Former Islamic Council of Victoria secretary Kuranda Seyit said the hadith "shouldn't apply in a school context".

“Students should be able to shake hands with the teacher or the principal, or receive a greeting from a visitor to the school," he told the paper.

Thursday, 2 March 2017

The event is being held at West Yorkshire Police's Carr Gate Complex at Wakefield to raise awareness about dog attacks and the impact upon victims as well as identifying opportunities for promoting responsible dog ownership and improved partnership working.

Sounds important.

There are a number of key speakers throughout the day including Merseyside and Cheshire Constabularies, Royal Mail, the National Health Service and Guide Dogs and Sergeant Stewart Dunderdale, the West Yorkshire Police force lead on dangerous dogs.

Members of the audience include local authorities and groups from the charitable sector including the RSPCA and Dogs Trust.

Gosh, I wonder why they felt they needed this sort of....

Oh. Right.

Locals had expressed concern over the dog and yesterday West Yorkshire police confirmed they had seized the animal, a bitch called Alex, on June 22nd as a suspected banned pit bull terrier.

But a spokesman said: “It did not have enough pit bull characteristics to be held as a banned breed. It was returned.”